It is astounding how some people who most likely were NOT even at this show rate it. Their rating is their opinion and not necessarily true. Some shows are definitely better than others and this is one of them and those who get it will really enjoy this pre-coma show. New Year's energy is very strong, and the Shakedown opener is KILLER (really good) while the Jack Straw is as good as it gets! Scarlett/Fire is amazing with Jerry at the top of his instrumental and emotive game.
And yes: I was there with Chinese food from The Ocean Restaurant that Bill Graham Presents people (security) let me bring in and share on the bleachers on Phil's side. They also let me bring in shroomage for the masses and the masses loved them!

With the NYE shows, a rule-of-thumb is that the previous nights in the run were usually better; that NYE itself focused more on the event than the concert (when your band plays NYE you party, right?). The rule has exceptions: '76 is excellent, '78 & '86 have poignancy & '87 is a keeper too, but the rest are mostly you-had-to-be-there. Getting into the venue was rather aggressive, but gawd they were fun. Graham knew how to throw a NYE party. Note that the Bill Graham Center (this show/formerly SF Civic), is just a few blocks from the Warfield, and only held 7000. (Hah! NYE was always oversold - see other stories on the other sources for the reasons why. What was the SFFD going to do - focus on a Dead show on freaking NYE in SF?). '84 is an overlooked year with some great highlights, but objectively this one ranks as pretty middling. These were the shows right after Steve tragically lost his wife & kid.

First Set. My opinion of this set has improved. The set opener is the track this show is known for: a 16min Shakedown. It's great in sections and a must-hear-once (at the right pitch, anyway). The careening Minglewood is a set/show peak (those '85 girls/T right here in Frisco). Peggy-O is nicely tempo'd and Jack Straw is a full-on whipper. After a nice-enough Bird Song, Hellina is half of a trainwreck. Dough Knees is shaky knees.

Second Set. Sugar Mag is okay by the end, but Scarlet is pretty iffy in a few places. It's just "off", but they do a 180 for a solid Fire on the Mountain. Jer keeps wrangling and eventually finds what he likes - and what we truly like (there is 1: 12 missing from most sources). Dewiminna drags and sputters. The best part of the set is Drums>Space. Sent on a journey into space and then grounded with Malagueña. Bobby teases that riff near the end and Jer eventually joins. As bland as The Wheel is, Throwing Stones is just running on fumes. Going into Lovelight may have been a try at injecting energy, but it forced Bobby to keep sing-spitting.

Third Set. After a break, they're still not on the same page for Gimme Some Lovin' and a muffed Uncle John's. Nobody is in agreement on the arrangement for Around & Around and they miss the change-up. Admirably, Jer tries to leave it all on stage for a fine It's All Over Now Baby Blue.

1st Set:  C+
2nd Set: D
3rd Set:  C-
Overall = 2 stars

Highlights:
New Minglewood Blues - careening appearance of X factor

SOURCES: The walker-scotton_miller_106251 is the cleanest FM-SBD, and has better separation (it's supposedly the front-of-house mix but it seems to be FM). It has a cut Fire, pitch errors, and is kind of dry in places compared to the gorinsky_6395 FM source (which has the full Fire). The 121725_sbd_miller is a copy of the 106251, with the same pitch issues, needing -1% correction for Shakedown and +1% for Baby Blue and Hellina through Lovelight. The 147328_sbd_clugston is the non-FM SBD. It has less high end, but isn't as crispy. It does not have the full Fire, and runs fast, but with different pitch errors, needing -1.5% correction for Shakedown; -1.25% for Minglewood through Bird; and -1% for Hellina, Dough Knees & the 3rd set. The 082395_cpb_IViews has the inter-set fun with Jane Dornacker, Father Guido Sarducci and band/family members. Shakedown is on So Many Roads, where it has an extreme mastering error, running a whopping 3.5% slow (one whole step - not the only official release pitched wrongly but one of the worst). The show is usually up on YouTube.

The jam tying Scarlet---) Fire is MAGNIFICENT!!

Jerry's soloing during fire is FIRE, especially the final jam after the last verse

VERY very solid playing by the band in the 2nd set

First set ain't too shabby either

@DMT --

I for one appreciate all the great work that Charlie does. I have countless hours of superior quality shows due to him.

I also find it odd that you are whining about things coming out on official releases. I couldn't be happier when they do and I hope that they continue putting more and more out officially. I'll buy every single one they do; I encourage you and others to do the same.

The band has always been generous enough to allow unprecedented access to its music. The least that fans can do is buy the official releases.

I doubt you have any idea what it was like before "From the Vault" and "Dick's Picks" started. You would have to search high and low to get new shows. You were happy to get anything. I spent thousands of hours making tapes for people and accumulating about 150 hours of good quality tapes and 250 hours of O.K. quality tapes.

Now you are whining about there being official releases because you can't get it free???? Puh-lease.

Official releases are how the band members make a good chunk of their money. I have bought the official releases even when I already had great quality soundboards of the show. Seemed like the least I could do . . . .

Ok so Mr Charlie remasters a soundboard and he wants you to rate it. If enough people give it a five by his standards than Rhino records will remove it from the archive and put it up for sale!!! (Europe 72')! It would be better if he stuck to re-doing audience recordings. Unless ofcourse he works for Rhino.